Liu Jianjun: Practical Requirements of "Must Adhere to a Systems Perspective"
"Must uphold a systems-based approach" is a crucial component of the worldview and methodology of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. It constitutes a basic requirement for our mastery and application of the positions, viewpoints, and methods that permeate this Thought. It is highly necessary to provide a theoretical elucidation of the practical requirements for "must uphold a systems-based approach."
Dialectically Grasping Five Pairs of Major Relations
A systems-based approach is grounded in the principle of universal connectivity in the material world and centrally embodies the dialectical relationship between two sides of a contradiction. In advancing Chinese-path modernization on the new journey of the New Era, upholding a systems-based approach requires, first and foremost, the ability to view the world and approach work from a relational perspective. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphatically stressed the need to properly grasp the dialectical relations between the whole and the part, the present and the long term, the macro and the micro, the particular and the general, and the primary and secondary contradictions.
Grasping the relationship between the whole and the part. Philosophically, this is the relationship between the totality and its components. This relationship is bidirectional: on one hand, the whole is composed of parts, and without parts, there is no whole; on the other hand, parts derive their meaning from the whole—a part separated from the whole is no longer a part and may even cease to exist. This interdependent relationship manifests in practical work as the relation between the overall situation and local interests. National governance is a grand systemic project comprised of several localized tasks. Each localized task itself possesses a degree of wholeness and contains many smaller parts. One must grasp the overall situation from a holistic perspective, recognize the value of the local within the context of the global, consciously subordinate the local to the general interest, and allow local functions to perform effectively within that broader framework. Simultaneously, attention must be paid to each local part to give full play to the initiative of local work.
Grasping the relationship between the present and the long term. On the temporal axis of the development of things, there exists not only the relationship between the past and the present but also between the present and the future. We must focus not only on the former—viewing reality through the lens of history—but also on the latter—viewing the future through the lens of the present. This means grasping and properly handling the relationship between the present and the long term. The cause of the Party and the people is a grand undertaking, and the struggle toward it is a protracted process. Therefore, in our work, we must focus not only on immediate needs and effects but also consider their long-term impact. The two are not always entirely consistent and are sometimes even contradictory. Some things may benefit the near term and the present but could be highly detrimental to the future. Other things may seem to yield no immediate effect but are extremely important and beneficial from a long-term perspective. Therefore, one must broaden one's vision and be adept at looking at problems from a strategic height and a long-term perspective, integrating the present with the future.
Grasping the relationship between the macro and the micro. Systems possess structure and hierarchy, involving not only the relationship between the whole and the part but also between the macro and the micro. The macro focuses on strategy, height, and the overall situation, while the micro emphasizes tactics, the local, and the details. For a worker, and especially a leader, one must first possess a macro vision to grasp the general situation and trends, avoiding a view confined to the tactical level that lacks strategic thinking. "Once the Great remains established, the Small cannot snatch it away" [1]. On this basis, one must not neglect details in specific work; one must exert effort on the details. it is often said that "the skill is in the details" or "details determine success or failure," which contains a certain truth. Once the macro-level situation is set, details must be refined to reach a state of perfection. Critical details, in particular, can sometimes influence the success or failure of the entire situation. If there is only one overall situation, there are countless details. Doing every detail well is extremely difficult, but it is precisely what we must advocate.
Grasping the relationship between the particular and the general. This relationship is essentially that of the universality and particularity of contradictions. Mao Zedong discussed this relationship comprehensively and profoundly in On Contradiction, considering the relationship between universality and particularity—commonality and individuality—to be the essence of the issue of contradiction. He believed that mastering this meant mastering dialectics. Contradictions exist universally and share commonalities, yet every contradiction has its own particularity and individuality. Both aspects are important and indispensable. The most profound and important point in this relationship is recognizing that the general exists within the particular, and commonality exists within individuality; one cannot speak of the general in isolation from the particular. While affirming the universality of contradictions, Mao Zedong focused on analyzing their particularity, emphasizing that "concrete analysis of concrete conditions" holds extremely important instructional significance. From the perspective of ideological and work methods, one must combine general calls with individual guidance. One should neither miss the forest for the trees, nor speak of the forest in a vacuum without the trees.
Grasping the relationship between primary and secondary contradictions. Contradictions exist universally, and a single thing or process often contains multiple contradictions. Different contradictions play different roles and hold different statuses in the development of things. The primary contradiction is the one that occupies the dominant position among various contradictions and plays the decisive role in the development of the thing. Within each contradiction, there is further a distinction between the principal and non-principal aspects of the contradiction; the former is the aspect in the dominant and leading position. The relationship between primary and secondary contradictions, and between the principal and non-principal aspects, dictates that in practical work and methodology, one must be adept at seizing the primary contradiction and the principal aspect of the contradiction, using key tasks to drive the development of the whole situation. General Secretary Xi Jinping point out: "Facing complex situations and heavy tasks, one must first have a global view and have a clear mind regarding various contradictions, while prioritizing the resolution of the primary contradiction and the principal aspect of the contradiction, thereby driving the resolution of other contradictions... In any work, we must uphold both the 'two-point theory' [2] and the 'key-point theory' [3]. Without a sense of priority or distinction—grasping the eyebrows and the beard all at once [4]—one cannot do work well."
Properly Handling the Six Relations in Advancing Chinese-path Modernization
Advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through Chinese-path modernization is the fundamental task of the New Era and the new journey. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized the need to correctly understand and vigorously promote Chinese-path modernization, explicitly proposing that the following six relations must be properly handled.
Handling the relationship between top-level design and practical exploration. In colloquial terms, this is the relationship between top-level design and "crossing the river by feeling for the stones" [5]. In the early period of Reform and Opening Up, although there was top-level design, actual work required cautious exploration, hence the particular emphasis then on "crossing the river by feeling for the stones." As Reform and Opening Up continuously advanced, and with the accumulation of fresh experience and our deepened mastery of objective laws, top-level design has been more strongly emphasized since entering the New Era. The Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has proposed a series of new ideas, theories, and strategies for national governance, providing profound insight into global development trends, accurately grasping the common aspirations of the masses, and deeply exploring the laws of economic and social development. This ensures that the formulated plans and policy systems reflect the characteristics of the times, grasp objective laws, and are rich in creativity, giving full play to the role of top-level design. However, this does not mean that practical exploration is no longer needed. Advancing Chinese-path modernization is an exploratory undertaking with many unknown fields, requiring us to explore boldly in practice and promote the cause through reform and innovation. We must never "carve a mark on the boat to find a lost sword" [6] or "wait by the stump for a windfall" [7].
Handling the relationship between strategy and tactics. We must profoundly recognize the fundamental nature of strategy and grasp the basic requirement that strategy determines tactics, while tactics subordinate themselves to and serve strategy. Strategic work must be prioritized. First, we must enhance the foresight of strategy, accurately grasping the inevitable trends of development, keenly discerning the opportunities and challenges that may arise on the road ahead, and using scientific strategy to foresee and lead the future. Second, we must enhance the holistic nature of strategy; planning strategic goals, formulating strategic measures, and making strategic deployments must all focus on resolving major issues that concern the success or failure of the Party and state's cause—issues where "pulling one hair moves the whole body." Third, we must enhance the stability of strategy; once a strategy is formed, it must be adhered to over the long term, pursued to the end, and brought to a successful conclusion [8], without being changed at will. Simultaneously, we must attach great importance to tactical issues, profoundly recognizing that once the strategy is set, tactics are the key. We must organically combine the principle-based nature of strategy with the flexibility of tactics, being nimble, adaptable, and decisive, grasping strategic initiative by suiting measures to local conditions, moving with the trends, and acting in accordance with the circumstances.
Handling the relationship between upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground. Upholding the fundamentals means adhering to the right path, holding onto the foundation, and persisting in the correct position and direction. This is the prerequisite and basis for innovation, because the "innovation" we speak of has a value-based position and direction: it is innovation that benefits the development of the Party and the people's cause, and innovation that benefits human peace and progress. Innovation must also respect and follow objective laws; "innovation" that departs from or ignores laws cannot succeed. Simultaneously, innovation helps uphold the fundamentals. Only by persisting in liberating the mind and pioneering innovation—upholding the fundamentals through innovation and for the sake of innovation—can the "fundamentals" truly be maintained. On the new journey of the New Era, we must, on one hand, guard the essence, source, root, and soul of Chinese-path modernization, unswervingly adhering to its Chinese characteristics, essential requirements, and major principles to ensure its correct direction. On the other hand, we must place innovation at the heart of the overall national development, adapt to the requirements of the times, focus on resolving major theoretical and practical problems, actively identify, respond to, and seek changes, vigorously promote reform and innovation, and continuously shape new drivers and advantages for development to fully stimulate the creative vitality of the whole society.
Handling the relationship between efficiency and fairness. In economic and social development, efficiency and fairness constitute a pair of contradictions. The former primarily concerns the speed and benefits of economic development, while the latter primarily concerns people’s sense of gain and sense of fairness. The two are interdependent and mutually restrictive, and should maintain a dynamic balance. In different periods of social development, emphasis may shift toward one aspect based on needs, but under no circumstances should the two be severed or set against each other. If one only speaks of economic development and increased efficiency while completely ignoring social fairness, it will cause social unrest and damage development. If one only speaks of fairness while ignoring efficiency and development, society will lack vitality, ultimately leading only to common poverty. Upholding a systems-based approach in advancing Chinese-path modernization means combining efficiency with fairness: we must both create higher efficiency than capitalism and more effectively maintain social fairness, better achieving a state where efficiency and fairness are both considered, mutually promoted, and unified.
Handling the relationship between vitality and order. A society must be both stable and orderly, yet full of vitality. To a certain extent, these two are contradictory, yet they also complement each other. Order without vitality is stagnant, while vitality without order is dangerous. Social vitality primarily refers to the level of economic activity, the speed of social development, and the degree of freedom in people's lives; whereas social order primarily refers to national security, the legal system, the institutional system, and moral norms. In the past, we did not emphasize the word "order" much, but it is vital for social stability. Without social order, there can be no social stability, and social order relies on certain rules. Our society’s institutions, laws, morality, and other rules all grant social life a certain order and strive to maintain it, while also maintaining and promoting social development. Among these, national security is the foundation of social order. We must coordinate development and security, implement the holistic approach to national security, improve the national security system, and enhance the capacity to maintain national security. We must achieve both the maintenance of national security and social stability, as well as the continuous promotion of economic development and social progress.
Handling the relationship between independent self-reliance and opening up to the outside world. In the process of vigorously advancing Chinese-path modernization, the relationship between the internal and the external must be properly handled. We must persist in the principle of prioritizing our own agency and internal factors—adhering to independence and self-reliance—while also persisting in the basic state policy of opening up, maintaining an open mindset and an international perspective. We must strengthen national self-esteem and self-confidence, enhancing the ambition, grit, and backbone of being Chinese, while also modestly learning from the useful experiences of foreign countries. We must persist in high-level independence and high-quality self-reliance, keeping the base point of national development on the continuous strengthening of our own power and keeping the fate of China's development and progress firmly in our own hands, while also continuously expanding high-level opening up. We must deeply participate in the global industrial division of labor and cooperation, make good use of both domestic and international resources, and further expand the developmental space for Chinese-path modernization.